Method and apparatus for producing a container part



R. A. EASTER 2,885,932

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A CONTAINER PART May 12, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 25, 1958 R. A. EASTER May 12, i 1959 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A CONTAINER PART Il v l i.

lrhm nm 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 25, 195 8 United States Patent METHOD APPARATUSFOR PRODUCING A CONTAINER PART Ross .A. :Easter, Minneapolis, assignor to The Pillsbury Company, a corporation of Delaware Application MarchZS, 1958, Serial No. 723,687

7 Claims. (Cl. 93-37) This invention relates to the method of and apparatus for forming multi-compartmen'ted liners and the like.

In the merchandising of a number of products such as mixes of various sorts which are to be easily prepared for consumption by the customer, it is frequently desirable to provide several components of the mix product in separated condition with respect to each other and to hold these components in separation until the time that the customer prepares the product for consumption.

Although there have been multi-compartmented containers formed in a number of manners in the past, most of such containers are quite expensive, or, on the other hand, are difficult to manufacture. The present invention which relates to the forming of a multi-compartmented liner for a single carton which will encompass the liner, provides the advantages of separating components of -a product from each other and in addition, is exceedingly inexpensive to produce.

An object of my invention is to provide anew and improved method of readily and easily forming a multicompartmented carton liner.

Another object of my invention is the provision of novel apparatus for quickly forming a multi-compartmented liner.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an improved method of forming a multi-compartm'ented carton liner by holding a pair of liner-forming sheets in confronting relation with each other, and swinging the. sides of one of the sheets toward and into engagement with the sides of the other sheet so that the sides of the sheets are in parallel and engaged relation with eachsother whereby to'define one compartment in the liner, and subsequently swinging the edges of one ofthe sheets inwardly toward each other to form a second compartment in the liner.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein "like reference characters refer to the :same or similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation view, shown somewhatldiagrammatic ally with the front frame portion removed for fsimplicity, of "the paper supplying mechanism and forming mechanism for carrying out the present invention;

Fig. 2 .is a detail section 'view taken approximately at 2--2 in Fig. :1, in an :enlarged scale, and showing the first step in the formation of the multi-conrpantmentedcarton liner;

Figs. 3., '4, 5 :and 6 are all substantially identical to Fig. 2 and show the successive steps carried out by the mechanism to form the :multi-compartmented carton liner;

Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view showing one end of the canton liner formed by the mechanism and method steps shown in Figs. 1-6; I

Fig. .8 a detail section view showing a slightly .-modi fied form of the mandrel or lorming block and showing a slightly modified multi-compar'tmented carton "liner formed therearound; and

Fig. 9 is a detail section view "showing the formation of a slightly "modified form of carton liner around the mandrel.

An understanding of the novel method of forming the multi-compa'rtmented carton liner is best obtained by brief reference to 'Fig. 1 and then to Figs. 2-6. A block member or forming mandrel ll is mounted at one 'end 11 by a turret mechanism indicated in general by numeral 12 and is rotatable about the vertical axis 13 in step by step movement. The turret 12 carries a number of the forming mandrels or blocks 10, but only one is shown in detail. The mandrel 10 has an unobstructed or free end 14, and the mandrel 10 has an elongated and thin, horizontally oriented sheet-receiving slot or recess 15 which opensthrough the unobstructed end 14 and through the side surfaces 15 and 17 of the mandrel. The sheetre'ceiving recess 15 extends substantially throughout the entire length of the mandrel. Suitable means are provided for supporting a piece of sheet material beneath the'lower surface 18 of the mandrel and such means may comprise a bottom elevator 19 which is movable up wardly into clamping relation with the bottom of the mandrel 10.

A mechanism, indicated in general by numeral 20 is provided for supplying a first piece 21 of flexible sheet material such as paper of the type commonly employed in carton liners onto the elevator 19 and beneath the mandrel 10, substantially in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The piece 21 of sheet material is approximately as long as the mandrel 10. The mechanism 24} also supplies a second piece 22 of sheetmaterial of the type substantially identical to the material in piece 21 into the slot 15 of the mandrel 10, and this piece 22 of sheet material is also approximately as long as the mandrel. The mechanism 20 also applies adhesive strips onto the piece 21 of sheet material for securing the two pieces together as will be subsequently described.

As best shown in Fig. 2, the piece '22 is positioned in generally parallel and confronting relation with the piece 21 and spaced thereabove. The pieces 21 and 22 are held, intermediate their opposite sides 21a and 22a by the mandrel to be prevented from moving in vertical directions. As shown in Fig. 3, the intermediate portion 21b of the sheet 21 is subsequently clamped against the bottom of the mandrel 10 and the sides 21a are swung upwardly toward and into engagement with the sides 22a of the sheet 22. As the sides 21a of sheet 21 engage the sides 22a of shee't'22, the sides 22a are swung upwardly in the manner shown. The sides 21a are subsequently further swung upwardly into juxtaposed or substan'tially parallel relation with each other so as to cause furtherupward swinging of the sides 22a of sheet 22 and to cause the adhesive strips 23 to engage the sides of sheet 22. It will be seen that the sides 21a of sheet 21, as they are swung from the position in 'Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 4, cause similar 'upward swinging of the sides 22a 'of sheet 22, and the sides 21a guide the sides 22a into their ultimate upright position shown in Fig. 4. The engaged sides of the sheet material are then pressed together to set the glue.

Because the sheet '21 -is substantially wider than the sheet 22, the sides 21a thereof, when swung upwardly, extend upwardly'from thesheet '22. The upstanding edge portions 21c and 21d are thereafter swung inwardly toward each other'a'round thetop surface 24 of themandrel 10 and 'into overlapping relation with each other. Previous to the application of the sheet 21 to'the mandrel 10, a glue strip 25 will have been applied by the mechanism 20 'onto the upper edge portion 2112 so as to engage and adhere 'to the edge portion 210 when the latter edge portions are disposed in overlapping relation.

When the edge portions 210 and 21dhave beenswung 7 3 into engaged and overlapping relation to each other, the edge portion 21d may be pressed downwardly, as seen in Fig. 6, for continuing engagement with the edge portion 210 so as to allow the adhesive to set. At this same time, the sides 21a of sheet 21 may be pressed inwardly toward the sides 22a to produce a continuous and tight adhesive joint therebetween.

When these method steps have been accomplished, a carton liner substantially identical to that shown in Fig. 7, and indicated in general by numeral 26 results, with a divider wall 27 intermediate the upper and lower sides of the liner. The liner may be subsequently slipped oif the mandrel after the turret 12 is revolved. Ordinarily, one end of the carton liner 26 will be folded and sealed closed and then a carton will be formed around the liner 26 before the liner is removed from the mandrel 10.

The turret mechanism 12, the means for wrapping the piece 21 of sheet material around the mandrel 10, and the portion of mechanism which supplies and applies adhesive to the pieces 20 of carton-liner-forming paper to the mandrel 10 is substantially identical to a machine known as the Double Package Maker manufactured and sold by Pneumatic Scale Corp., Ltd. of Quincy, Mass. The mechanism 20 includes a frame structure which is indicated in general by numeral 28 and which carries on suitable bearings a first roll 29 of paper. The continuous sheet 30 of paper from roll 29 is threaded around guide rollers 31 and 32 and is continuously driven by a constant speed drive roller 33 which bears against the paper sheet 30 as it passes over roller 32. The continuous paper sheet 30 is then threaded between an idler roller 34 and an intermittently operated feed roller 35 which is driven by suitable means (not shown) which revolve the roller 35 at a substantially higher rate of linear speed at the periphery thereof than the peripheral linear speed of roller 33 and then causes the roller 35 to periodically stop. Between the intermittent feed roller 35 and the constant feed roller 33 is provided means for taking up the slack in the continuous paper sheet 30 and such means comprise a weighted rod-type roller 36 which is supported by the paper 30 and is guided in vertical slots 37 in the frame structure 28. A knife 38 having a cutting edge 39 is mounted on the frame structure 28 and is stationary therewith for cutting the paper sheet 30 in cooperation with a vertically moving anvil 40 to thereby form the individual pieces 21 of sheet material from which the carton liners are formed. The vertically reciprocating anvil 40 is driven through a crank arm 41 which is operated by suitable mechanism (not shown) which is synchronized with the means for intermittently operating feed roller 35. This same mechanism is synchronized with means for rotating the turret 12 above the axis 13 and with the elevator means for clamping the piece 21 of sheet material against the mandrel 10 and swinging the sides upwardly and around the mandrel so that each time a carton liner is formed by the method hereinbefore described, the turret 12 is rotated, another mandrel is moved into position to receive another sheet of carton liner-forming material.

Means are also provided for applying adhesive strips onto the sheet 30 in such positions as to result in adhesive strips 23 and on the pieces 21 for binding the piece 21 to the piece 22 when the multi-compartmented liner is being formed, and such adhesive applying means includes a source, such as pipe 42, carrying liquid glue, a manifoldt ype device 43 for distributing and applying the glue onto rollers 44 and 45, and a roller 46 engaging the periphery of roller 45 to properly distribute the glue, and glue-applying discs 47 which engage the roller 46 to be supplied with glue therefrom and which engage the paper sheet as it passes over the roller 32.

The portion of mechanism 20 for supplying the pieces 22 of sheet material to the mandrel 10 for forming the divider wall in the multi-compartmented carton liners, includes a roll 48 of paper journalled on the frame structure 28 and the continuous sheet 49 of paper supplied therefrom and carried over rollers 50 and 51. The paper 49 is continuously driven at a constant rate by a constant speed drive roller 52 which engages the paper 49 as it passes over roller 51 and which may be driven as by a chain drive 52a in synchronism with the drive roller 33. The paper 49 is then passed between an idler roller 53 and an intermittently operated feed roller 54 which is driven in synchronization with the roller 35. The knife 38 also has an upper cutting edge 55 over which the paper 49 passes to be cut by vertical movement of an anvil 56 which is driven by a crank arm 57. The arm 57 is driven in synchronism with the crank arm 41 which operates anvil 40, and to produce the synchronized movement, gear segments 58 and 59 are respectively aflixed to the arms 57 and 41 and are meshed with each other so as to produce synchronized swinging of the arms 57 and 41 and therefore synchronized vertical reciprocation of the anvils 5'6 and 40. A slack takeup device consisting in a Weighted rod 60 engages the paper 49 and is vertically movable in a slot 61 in the frame structure 28. A glue-applying mechanism 62 is provided for applying glue strips to the paper 49 so as to provide strips on the piece 22 of sheet material in such a position as to permit a complete sealing of the multi-compartmented liner when the same is closed at one end.

The mechanism for Wrapping the pieces of sheet material around the mandrel 10 includes the bottom elevator 19 and the side elevators 63 and 64 which are normally disposed adjacent the bottom of the mandrel 10 and are movable upwardly along the opposite sides thereof for swinging the pieces 21 and 22 of sheet material upwardly around the mandrel 10. The bottom elevator 19 is mounted to be operated by an air cylinder 65 and is connected to the piston rod 65a thereof to be shifted upwardly from the position shown in Fig. 2 into engagement with the bottom of the mandrel. The side elevators 63 and 64 are individually operated by air cylinders 66 and are connected thereto by the piston rods 66a thereof. The air cylinders 65 and 66 are suitably mounted in the frame structure and are operated in synchronism with the papersupplying mechanism to move upwardly along the mandrel after the pieces 21 and 22 have been applied to the mandrel and have been cut by the knife edges 39 and 55. This mechanism for wrapping the pieces of sheet material around the mandrel is also substantially identical to corresponding mechanism in the Double Package Maker machine previously mentioned.

The mechanism for swinging the upper edges of the sheet 21 inwardly into overlapped relation as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is also substantially identical to corresponding mechanism in the Double Package Maker" machine and includes a pair of notched plates 67 and 68 mounted for swinging oscillation on shafts 69 and 70 respectively for movement inwardly and outwardly with respect to the top of the mandrel substantially as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 5. The shafts 69 and 70 are in juxtaposed relation with each other and the opposite ends thereof are respectively journalled in suitable bearings provided on the frame structure 28 and on a stationary head 71 of the turret mechanism 12. The shafts 69 and 70 are driven through linkage mechanisms 72 and 73 and are synchronized with the operation of the paper-supplying mechanism 20 and the elevators 19, 63 and 64 so. as to fold the upper edges of the sheet 21 around the top of the mandrel.

Presser bar 74 is provided for engaging and holding the overlapped upper edges of the sheet 21 after these edges have been swung inwardly in the manner shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The presser bar 74 is connected through a suitable linkage 75 to the turret mechanism 12 and is moved downwardly into engagement with the edge portion 21d of sheet 21 before the holding plate 67 is retracted. To permit the bar 74 and plate 67 to simultaneously engage the upper edge portion 21d of the sheet, the bar 74 is notched as at 76 to receive the finger portions ofplate 67 in the notches.

The method steps in forming the multi-compartmented carton liner, which might be performed by hand methods, are carried out by the mechanism shown. The continuous sheets and 49 of paper are continuously pulled from the rolls 29 and .48 by the continuous drive rollers 33 and 52 and the glue strips 23 and .25 are applied .to the sheet 3th. The intermittently operating feed rollers and 54 provide intermittentfeeding of the sheets 30 .and 49 to the mandrel and when .the intermittent feeding of the sheet material stops, the cutting anvils and 56 are operated to sever the pieces .21 and 22 from the continuous sheets. The elevator 19 thenclamps the sheet 21 against the bottom of the mandrel 10 and the elevators 63 and 64 move upwardly to cause thersides 21a to swing to a substantially upright position and to cause upward swinging of the sides 22a. The upper edges 21c and 21d are then swung inwardly by the plates .67 and 68 into overlapped and engaged relation and then .thepresser bar 74 is moved downwardly into engagement with the top of the mandrel to press edges .of the sheet material .together for setting the adhesive.

The machine will subsequently withdraw the plates 67 and 68 upwardly and cause the turret to revolve so as to swing the formed carton liner to the next stage of operation and to swing an empty forming block or mandrel 10 into alignment with the supply of paper. The end of the carton liner at the free or unobstructed end 14 of the mandrel may then be folded inwardly and sealed and a carton may be formed around the liner.

The form of the invention shown in Fig. 8 has a slightly modified mandrel or forming block 10 with the slot .01 recess 15 formed therein for receiving and holding the piece 22 of sheet material. The mandrel ,10' has an additional slot 15a for receiving a second piece 22' of sheet material to form a second divider wall in the carton liner. Additional glue strips 23 will be provided on the piece 21 of sheet material for engaging and binding against the sides 22a of the piece 22. In the remainder of the sheet material supplying mechanism 20, means will be provided for supplying the additional piece 22' into the mandrel 10' in synchronism with the supply of the other pieces 21 and 22.

The carton liner shown in Fig. '9 is formed by substantially the same method hereinbefore outlined. However, in forming the carton liner shown, the piece 122 of sheet material is substantially wider than the piece 22 previously shown so as to permit wrapping of the sides 122a of the piece 122 completely around the upper portion 10a of the mandrel 10. In forming this form of carton liner an additional strip of adhesive 125 is provided on the overlying side 122a of sheet 122 so that the sheet 122 completely encompasses the upper compartment of the liner.

It will be seen that I have provided a novel method of producing a multi-compartmented liner which is accomplished substantially as easily as forming a carton liner having only a single internal compartment.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, detail, arrangement and proportion of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention which consists of the matter described herein and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In the art of forming a multi-compartmented carton liner from a pair of pieces of sheet material, the method steps consisting in holding a first piece of sheet material at a position intermediate its sides against movement of the intermediate portion in a direction transversely of the sheet, positioning a second piece of sheet material in spaced and confronting and generally parallel relation to the first piece, holding the second piece of sheet material at a position intermediate the sides thereof against movement of the intermediate portion in a direction transversely of thesheet, swinging the sides of the first'sheet toward and into engagement with the sides of the second sheet and further swinging the sides of the first sheet into juxtaposed relation-to each other to move and cause .swinging of the sides of thessecond sheet into parallel and engaged relation with the sides of the first sheet,:securing together the sides of the first and second sheets which engage each-other, ,and swinging, at a position in spaced relation to the intermediate portion 'of the second sheet, the side edges of the first sheet inwardlly toward each other into overlapping and engaged relation with each other, and securing together the inwardly swung and.

overlapping edges of the sheet material sides.

2. In the art of vforming a multi-compartmented carton liner from a pair of pieces of flexible sheet material, the method steps consisting in holding a horizontally oriented first piece of sheet material at a position intermediate its sides to restrict vertical movement of the intermediate portion, positioning a second piece of sheet material in vertically spaced and confronting and generally parallel relation :to'(the first piece, holding the second piece of sheet material at a position intermediate the sides thereof to restrict vertical movement of the intermediate portion, swinging the sides of the first sheet in one vertical direction, toward and into engagement with the sides of the second sheet and further swinging the sides of the first sheet into generally vertical position and juxtaposed relation to each other to move and cause swinging of the sides of the second sheet into parallel and engaged relation to the sides of the first sheet, whereupon the sheet material sides extend in said one direction from the intermediate portion of the second piece of sheet material, securing together the sides of the first and second sheets which engage each other, swinging, at a position remote in said one direction from the intermediate portion of the second sheet at least aipair-of the juxtaposed sheet material sides inwardly toward each other and into overlapping and engaged relation with each other, and securing together the inwardly swung and overlapped portions of the sheet material sides.

3. In the art of forming a multi-compartmented carton liner from a pair of ,pieces of flexible sheet material, the method steps consisting in holding a horizontally oriented first piece of .sheet material at :a position intermediate its sides to restrict vertical movement of the intermediate portion, positioning asecond piece of sheet material in vertically spaced and confronting and generally parallel relation to the first piece, holding the second piece of sheet material at a position intermediate the sides thereof to restrict vertical movement of the intermediate port-ion, swinging the sides of the first piece in one vertical direction toward and into engagement with the sides of the second piece and further swinging the sides of the first piece into generally vertical position and juxtaposed relation to each other to move and cause swinging of the sides of the second piece into parallel and engaged relation to the sides of the first sheet, whereupon the sheet material sides extend in said one direction from the intermediate portion of the second piece of sheet material, applying adhesive to the sides of one of the pieces at positions for engagement with the sides of the other sheet when the sheets are swung into engaged relation to each other, applying adhesive to the edge portion of one of the sheet material sides extending from the intermediate portion of the second sheet, and swinging, at a position remote in said one direction from the intermediate portion of the second piece, the lastmentioned sheet material side and another of the sides juxtaposed therewith inwardly toward each other and into overlapping and engaged relation with each other with the adhesive therebetween, whereby to be secured together.

4. In the art of forming a multi-compartmented carton liner from a pair of pieces of sheet material, the method steps consisting in holding a first piece of sheet material at a position intermediate its sides and restricting movement of the intermediate portion in a direction transversely of the sheet, positioning a second piece of sheet material in spaced and confronting and generally parallel relation to the first piece, holding the second piece of sheet material at a position intermediate the sides thereof and restricting movement of the intermediate portion in a direction transversely of the sheet, swinging the sides of the first sheet toward and into engagement with the sides of the second sheet and further swinging the sides of the first sheet into juxtaposed relation to each other to move and cause swinging of the sides of the second sheet into confronting and engaged relation with the sides of the first sheet, applying adhesive to the sides of one of the sheets for securing the same to the sides of the other sheet when the sheet sides are swung into confronting and engaged relation with each other, applying adhesive to one side edge of the first sheet, and swinging, at a position in spaced relation to the intermediate portion of the second sheet, the side edges of the first sheet inwardly toward each other into overlapping and engaged relation with the adhesive therebetween, whereby to secure the same together and complete the multi-compartmented carton liner.

5. In the art of forming a multi-compartmented carton liner from a pair of pieces of flexible sheet material, the method steps consisting in holding a horizontally oriented first piece of sheet material at a position intermediate its sides against vertical movement of the intermediate portion, positioning a second piece of sheet material in vertically spaced and confronting and generally parallel relation to the first piece, holding the second piece of sheet material at a position intermediate the sides thereof against vertical movement of the intermediate portion, applying a strip of adhesive on each side of the first piece at a position inwardly from the edge thereof and on the surface facing the second piece, swniging the sides of the first piece in one vertical direction and toward and into engagement with the sides of the second piece and further swinging of the sides of the first piece into generally vertical position and juxtaposed relation to each other to move and cause swinging of the sides of the second piece into parallel and engaged relation to the sides of the first piece and to also cause the adhesive strips to engage the sides of the second piece, whereupon the sheet material sides extend in said one direction from the intermediate portion of the second piece of sheet material, swinging the upstanding sides of one of the pieces inwardly into overlapped relation with each other, and applying a strip of adhesive to one of the sheet sides to be overlapped and in a position to engage the other sheet side overlapped thereby.

' 6. In apparatus for forming a multi-compartmented carton liner, of a forming member with a cross-sectional configuration substantially similar to the configuration of the liner to be formed, said forming member having lower and top surface portions and also having sides and an unobstructed end over which the formed liner may be removed, said forming member having an elongate and substantially planar, sheet-receiving recess between said lower and top surface portions and opening through the sides of the member and through the unobstructed end thereof, sheet-wrapping mechanism adjacent the opposite sides of the forming member and adjacent one of the surface portions thereof and being movable along the sides of the forming member toward the other surface portion and past the recess for wrapping a sheet of material around the forming member and folding the sides of another sheet of material in the recess and means for wrapping the sheet material around said other surface portion of the forming member.

7. The combination, in apparatus for forming a multicompartmented carton liner, a forming member having lower and top surface portions and having sides and also having an unobstructed end over which the liner may be removed when formed, said forming member having an elongate sheet-receiving recess opening through the unobstructed end and also through the side of the forming member, means supplying a first piece of sheet material beneath the lower surface portion of the forming member, means supplying a second piece of sheet material into the recess to be positioned in spaced, overlying relation with the first piece, means applying adhesive to the sides of one of said pieces of sheet material and on the surface thereof facing the other piece of sheet material, means supporting the first piece of sheet material beneath the lower surface portion of the forming member, elevator means adjacent said sheet-supporting means and adjacent the opposite sides of the forming member and being movable upwardly along the sides of the forming member to swing the sides of the first piece upwardly and around the block and into engagement with the sides of the second piece of sheet material and into juxtaposed relation with each other to thereby also swing the sides of the second piece of sheet material upwardly into parallel and engaged relation therewith and cause the adhesive to secure the sides of the first and second pieces of sheet material together and means swinging the upstanding sheet material sides inwardly into overlapping relation with each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,818,005 Drnec Dec. 31, 1957 

